Combined silent butler and crumber



July 3, 1956 L. FARBER 2,752,622

COMBINED SILENT BUTLER AND CRUMBER Filed July 1, 1955 T; l.

INVENTOR. LOUIS FA REEF? BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,752,622 COMBINED SILENT BUTLER AND CRUMBER Louis Farber, Brouxville, N. Y. Application July 1, 195-3, Serial No. 365,447 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-105) The present invention relates to improvements in silent butlers and relates, more particularly, to a combined silent butler and crumber.

An object of the present invention is to provide a combined silent butler and crumber which is constructed so a crumbing instrument may be stored therein in a concealed manner and yet be readily available for use when desired. Another object of the present invention is to provide a storage chamber for a crumbing instrument which is separate from the usual receptacle for receiving refuse with such a chamber occupying a minimum of space and being inconspicuous so as not to affect the appearance of the silent butler.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent and best understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view in partial section of a silent butler embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a section view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the brush shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 2, but on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 5 is a section view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating a modified form of brush holder.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is a combined silent butler and crumber in which the top portion consists of the usual receptacle to receive ashes or other refuse. The receptacle 10 has a cover 11 which is attached to the receptacle by a hinge 12 in the usual manner.

A handle 13 is secured to and extends outwardly from the side of the receptacle 10. The handle 13 is so located with respect to the hinged cover that a person can grasp the handle with one hand and can readily open the cover by pressing down on a foot 14 on the lid with the thumb of the same hand.

The receptacle 10 has a base portion forming a storage chamber 15. The storage chamber 15 is located immediately beneath the receptacle and is formed by continuing the side walls of the receptacle downwardly so that it is not noticeable from the exterior of the unit and does not affect the appearance of the silent butler adversely. The chamber 15 has a bottom which is spaced from the bottom of the receptacle and the interior of the chamber is accessible through an opening 16 in the sides thereof so that a crumbing or cleaning instrument 17 such as a brush may be inserted in or removed from the chamher.

The brush 17 has a back 18 in the form of a bar made of plastic or other suitable material in which bristles 19 are set. A channeled member 20 extends across the chamber 15 from one end of the opening 16 and is shaped to receive and hold the back of the brush when the brush is placed in the chamber.

The back of the brush 18 may be provided with grooves 21 which extend lengthwise along the sides thereof and engage with inwardly extending flanges or rails 22 which define the slotted opening in the channeled member 20. The grooves 21 and the rails 22 frictionally engage with the grooves in the back of the brush and serve to guide the brush into place when it is inserted in the chamber and also hold the brush in the chamber. A knob 23 extends from one end of the back of the brush and projects beyond the side walls of the chamber when the brush is inserted in the chamber so that the brush can be withdrawn from the chamber with case.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5, there is a channeled member 20a which is shaped to fit the cross-sectional configuration of the back 18a of the brush with the bristles 19a projecting through the slotted opening extending along one side thereof.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the embodiments of the invention illustrated and described herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a silent butler and crumber having a main receptacle formed by upstanding side walls and a bottom, the improvement comprising a hollow chamber located beneath said main receptacle and forming a supporting base therefor, said chamber having side walls extending downwardly from the bottom of the main receptacle and a bottom plate extending between the lower edges of said side walls in spaced relation to the bottom of the main receptacle, said side walls having a horizontally extending slotted opening therein communicating with the interior said one end of the slotted opening and an opening in one side thereof facing toward the slotted opening, and a crumbing brush removably supported within the hollow chamber by said channeled member, said brush including a portion fitting into the open end of the channeled member and bristles extending in a slotwise direction parallel to the chamber bottom, thereby permitting a shallow and relatively inconspicuous chamber.

2. In a silent butler and crumber having a main receptacle formed by upstanding side walls and a bottom and a hollow chamber located beneath said main receptacle, said chamber forming a supporting base for said receptacle and having vertical side walls extending downwardly from the bottom of the main receptacle, said side walls having a horizontally extending slotted opening therein communicating with the interior of the chamber, the improvement which comprises a channeled member suponly of said slotted opening and extending transversely across said hollow chamber, said channeled member having an open end located at said one end of the slotted opening and an opening in one side thereof facing toward the slotted opening and a crumbing instrument removably supported within the hollow chamber by said channeled member, said crumbing instrument hav- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

